I am rebuilding a 2005 Nautique 226 TE... The previous owner left this boat docked in salt water and caused much damage to it. Some of us (me) learn the hard way not to buy a salt water boat!!!

I am to a point in the project where I am testing the wiring and am finding most of the connectors around the boat have corroded pins and are not working well. I can find exact replacement connectors easily enough, but I was wondering if one of you might have a suggestion for an upgraded water tight marine wire connector. If I have my way, this boat will never see salt water again, regardless, I want to put the best possible parts in if I am going to be in there replacing them. The factory connectors are OK, but are they the "best"?

The image has an example of the connectors used all around the boat. This one (stbd ballast drain pump) was covered in black crud (mold of some kind, I think) until I pressure washed it, but the copper pins inside are totally crusted over and impossible to clean, at least what I have tried has not worked.

For any of you who are thinking about buying a salt water boat... I thought I should share some of the problems salt water caused in this boat...

1) Nautique uses aluminum in various places around the boat embedded in the fiberglass for reinforcement and for a solid material to attach parts using stainless steel sheet metal screws and lag bolts. I found this in the swim step, engine hatch, various places along the stringers... Every place was galled to the point that many of the screws/lag bolts had to be drilled out or cut off.

2) Almost every place where aluminum makes contact with another metal I found large amounts of "white rust" caused by dissimilar metals being joined together. In almost all cases, the aluminum lost the battle while the other metal was left largely un-rusted.

3) The Walter v-drive did not survive at all. The bolts were rusted to the point that they resembled a "blooming onion". When touched by a wrench, they disintegrated to nothing. The Walter prop shaft coupler also completely rusted. The water drain port on the front of the v-drive gear box literally fell off when I touched it. I had to grind the studs off to separate the v-drive from the transmission. Finally the Walter adapter between the transmission and the v-drive was rusted beyond repair. I am guessing Walter uses a type of steel that is very susceptible to rust. My new v-drive came covered with an oily protective coating. I am guessing, I should find out what they used and keep it covered that way from now on.

4) The transmission mounts and v-drive mounts were unusable due to rust. The engine mounts were saveable.

5) The welds on the tower are corroded, but the tower is otherwise fine. Strange.

6) All the brass raw water intake valves were galled and seized up.

7) On the front of the engine, the serpentine belt tensioner, idler, and alternator bearings all make grinding noises.

9) The engine coolant heat exchanger, exhaust manifolds, and risers were extremely rusted inside. The heat exchanger anode was not a salt water anode and neither were the anodes on the prop shaft so they were all of little help.

10) Barnacles found in all components exposed to raw water, inlets, hoses, exhaust ports. Barnacles were everywhere! We have decided to name the boat “Barnacles”.

11) The docking lights use other than stainless steel components and they all rusted away and the lights needed to be replaced.

12) All the stereo components, amps, head, wires, internal parts, etc, corroded. Surprisingly the stereo still works with the exception of the sub. I assume it is the amp not working.

13) Some of the ballast pumps were seized up along with both bilge pumps.

14) And now the wire connectors and many wires them selves need to be replaced...

I keep telling my wife, “the boat will be ready next weekend...” I don't think she believes me anymore.

Was it a coastal edition? Sounds like it wasn't which is kind of not fair as salt boats when maintained properly should not have all these problems.

Exactly...I have heard this so many times. I owned an 89 Sport Nautique that lived all its life on a lift on the inner coastal until I bought it in 2007. Never had issues anywhere near as bad as this. If you take care of a salt water boat, it can last...way more than 7 years!

No, unfortunately, this boat was not a coastal edition. I don't think Nautique started that program until 2007 or so.

This was a smokin deal until I forked out the cash for a new v-drive. The v-drive and PCM trans adapter was almost $3,600.

They say buying a boat that was used in salt water should reduce the price by 12%-15% of the fresh water only value. I got a 15% discount from book value including shipping the boat to my house.

I gambled, that I could repair the boat and wind up spending less than book when it was all said and done. I am now into this boat for its book value. If I had it to do over, I would pick up a good fresh water only boat and save my self all the work.

The up side, I intimately understand my new boat and many of the parts are brand new!

Thanks for the wire connector suggestions... I have not made my mind up on which to get just yet.

I will never understand how people buy these boats and don't take care of them. I know my routine after every outing is spray the entire boat with salt away, then wash the entire thing with soap and water, then flush for 10 - 15 minutes. Also make sure to spray the trailer after I drop it in, although I will admit I learned this one the hard way as this is my first salt boat.

This is my buddy's boat. sure has been interesting to work on. I help out a little from time to time and it has really started to come together. It looks soo much better than before.

When it first arrived Adrien noticed that the butt plug had not been removed (don't know what kind of boat shipper doesn't remove the butt plug). In fact the plug probably had not been removed in years. Probably a thousand lbs and more of salt water came out of the hole when we removed the butt plug. i guess the previous owner either just did not care to empty it, was using it as ballast, or both.

But plug hahahahaha . Sounds like the previous owner just did not take good care of it which is unfortunate, but it sounds like you guys are bringing it back to life and and have every intention of treating her like she should be treated.

Exactly...I have heard this so many times. I owned an 89 Sport Nautique that lived all its life on a lift on the inner coastal until I bought it in 2007. Never had issues anywhere near as bad as this. If you take care of a salt water boat, it can last...way more than 7 years!

i agree we ride in salt water with none of these problems. just abandoning a boat like that sitting in salt water is just lazy